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Burnt eyes

Here is a subject I have not came across here yet. How many of you have managed to burn your eyes from welding or gouging flash? Home remedy? Costly trip to the ER in the middle of the night? Any tricks to get through a painful night of eyeball peel?
John

Re: Burnt eyes

the very first time I was around welding for any amount of time I got flashed bad enough to make that night a living hell. I had somebody go get me some visine and was dumping it in my eyes all night, slept a little bit. I dont know if visine is the right thing to do, but I remember that it felt so much better every time I put it in. Then the next day I was ok.

Just gotta remember that you will feel better and not to get bummed out.

Re: Burnt eyes

Any cases of permanent blindness?
I've known a couple of guys who've flashed themselves and had some suffering but never heard of anyone going permanently blind (except for the arc-adjusting monk in A Canticle for Liebowitz).

By the way... what does a trip to emerg cost? Here in Canada it's free.

Re: Burnt eyes

Appreciate the answers, was just curious. I have heard all the hub bub of the home remedies, potato juice and what not, now imagine your eyes hurting like sand in your eyes for several hours. Mustering up the balls to put potato mash in them, let me tell you its like trying to hold down a cat while some one puts gas on his ***....not nice. Its been several (17) years or so since I last visited the ER for treatment. I would imagine now this would be rather expensive. I know it sure takes the pain away with the drops they use, but the pain will come back,in an hour or so. If they don't give you some pain killers to finish the night out with, its going to be hell. Explained to me several times unfortunately, the sand you feel, is your eye actually peeling like a sun burn.... once asleep your fine, as soon as you wake up though, (in the middle of the night) you open your eyes, and you are instantly in hell. Eye lids rake this around and scratch you eye ball. The trick I found is, if I think my eyes may have been burnt is to just use a couple of cotton balls and tape my eyes shut, if I wake up in the night I know not to open my eyes, you don't have the pain as long as your eyes don't open until morning time. Works for me. Hope this some day will some one some grief.
John

Re: Burnt eyes

Originally Posted by jjellingson

Appreciate the answers, was just curious. I have heard all the hub bub of the home remedies, potato juice and what not, now imagine your eyes hurting like sand in your eyes for several hours. Mustering up the balls to put potato mash in them, let me tell you its like trying to hold down a cat while some one puts gas on his ***....not nice. Its been several (17) years or so since I last visited the ER for treatment. I would imagine now this would be rather expensive. I know it sure takes the pain away with the drops they use, but the pain will come back,in an hour or so. If they don't give you some pain killers to finish the night out with, its going to be hell. Explained to me several times unfortunately, the sand you feel, is your eye actually peeling like a sun burn.... once asleep your fine, as soon as you wake up though, (in the middle of the night) you open your eyes, and you are instantly in hell. Eye lids rake this around and scratch you eye ball. The trick I found is, if I think my eyes may have been burnt is to just use a couple of cotton balls and tape my eyes shut, if I wake up in the night I know not to open my eyes, you don't have the pain as long as your eyes don't open until morning time. Works for me. Hope this some day will some one some grief.
John

No no you dont put the potato in the eyes just on the lids after they are closed. I have had mine fryed several times and this works for me.

Re: Burnt eyes

Not to be a smart ***, but how does this work, Maybe some thing travels through the eyelid beings its a thin membrane, but I know not to stick it directly into the eye anymore, sheeeesh, wasn't a good scene...Maybe it has some thing that helps numb too ease the pain. Can't say, all I know is be careful when doing home remedies.... I brought this up because last night I had burns and did get through ok with taping my eyes, next time I will try this on the outside (will still tape) I usually do this while air arcing (gouging) in confined spaces. About 4 or five good flashes and you see halos at night. You know your burnt then. I wonder if this is why I can't see, thought it was my age....
thanks for the reply.
John

Re: Burnt eyes

I am a firm believer in prevention although sooner or later its gonna happen anyways. With good prevention you can cut the intensity of your burns way back and almost eliminate the bad ones.

If you have a bright shirt on and can see a bright reflection of your shirt, you better stop. Alot of people end up with flashburn and cant figure out why because of the reflection of a white or brite shirt.

Re: Burnt eyes

arc eye is a UV burn to the cornea. as with a UV skin burn the pain will pass as the body heals itself, in this case as the surface of the cornea regenerates- usually a day or two

i've never had arc eye but heard people swear by potatoes, damp tea bags (you will look like a panda!), cucumber, egg white (supposidly gives temporary protection to the surface of the eye but beware of salmon-eye-a, ,cough, cough) and probably the best one- copious amounts of alcohol to be administered orally. hospital treatment is typically pain killing eye drops (maybe with added antibiotics) and keeping eyes closed for protection until the cornea regenerates

in all seriousness though the best cure is prevention- wear a pair of decent safety specs at all times when metalworking/welding and you are protected from arc-eye and far more serious issues like something hard and sharp entering the eye!

as is often said, you can walk with a wooden leg and chew with false teeth but you can't see with a glass eye!

Re: Burnt eyes

In the UK hospital treatment is free ,after treatment you have to cover your eyes because if any dust went in you would not feel it.I was told you can buy a lotion from the drug store for this problem which is called arc eyes.

Re: Burnt eyes

I heard something about the juice in the potatoe being bad for your eyes.I would go to the eye doctor or ER.I have had a few scratched cornea episodes and a few things in my eye.I think getting medical treatment would be the best.

Re: Burnt eyes

While on a similar subject of eye care here, is the Harbor Freight auto darkening $69.00 with supposed adjustable lens shade tint a safe helmet to use?

I have one and have been doing a few small projects at home. It has a knob that goes from a shade of 9-13 I believe. I can't tell a difference in darkness no matter what number I put it on.

I know it is a cheap helmet, but is it safe for welding is my concern and question?

What is a decent helmet to buy that is "safe" to use. I don't mind spending a few bucks as you only get one set of eyes but I'm also a hobbyist and don't necessarily need "the best" on the market as I don't weld for a living.

Re: Burnt eyes

im not sure how you even get flash burn...WEAR SAFETY GLASSES, they should all have 100 percent UV protection, which is what burn your eyes.

your eyes are two to a customer, dont f**k around with them, protect yourself.

i work on jobs where we are all welding sitting next to each other, and often someone air arcing right next to that, none of us ever get flash burn, we wear safety glasses. i see people doing metalwork/machining/grinding all the time with no protection for there eyes, youd have to be nuts to not protect yourself, the cost is too great.

ive never had it, and i dont want to know what it feels like, so i have no idea what makes it feel better, but i would just go to a hospital. doctors get paid to fix people...

Re: Burnt eyes

I know an older guy, that use to be a welder, that is completely blind in his right eye. He is not only blind in it, the eye is dead! it don't move at all and looks awful! His left eye is damaged but he can see at a distance with it. He told me that back then the helmets weren't very good and that was the main cause. I hate that for him, he is an intelligent and great guy.

Millermatic 180AS w/ spoolmate 100
Craftsman 110v flux core mig
Golden Oldy Miller stick welder
In need of a plasma cutter....
More tools and junk than i know what to do with!

Re: Burnt eyes

As for me, i have been flashed several times, but have never burnt my eyes. Man that must suck! I did get poison sumac in my eyes last year tho. Had to go to the doctor several times over it and let them take this little grinder like thing to my eyeballs to get the dried up stuff off. Needless to say it hurt like hell and they had to tie me down. I have a thing with eyes.

Millermatic 180AS w/ spoolmate 100
Craftsman 110v flux core mig
Golden Oldy Miller stick welder
In need of a plasma cutter....
More tools and junk than i know what to do with!

Re: Burnt eyes

Visine, Murine or other OTC eye drops that are specific to "get the red out" will work. What these eye drops do is constrict the blood flow to the eye & reduces the swelling, which is part of what causes the pain.

Taping the eyes shut for the night will help also after you put in the eye drops. If they haven't improved by morning, go see your doctor. You may have done more than just a simple flash burn.

Re: Burnt eyes

IN the uk there is free national health service ,i am now 67 years old and had arc eyes ,or flashes several times,just had my eyes tested ,i only need reading glasses which you can buy for for $ 4.00 for 2 pairs.

Re: Burnt eyes

Every time I get flashburn I try not to weld the next day and if I do ill throw a shade 12 lens in and wear sunglasses. If I dont I will have hell that night 10x worse from the previous.

As said by CHENRY:you cant weld on a thingamajig like that. are you even certified to do thingamajig welding ? I once saw an improperly welded thingamajig fail and eleventy twelvoteen things got ballywhacked. I dont think i would risk it.

Re: Burnt eyes

While on a similar subject of eye care here, is the Harbor Freight auto darkening $69.00 with supposed adjustable lens shade tint a safe helmet to use?

I have one and have been doing a few small projects at home. It has a knob that goes from a shade of 9-13 I believe. I can't tell a difference in darkness no matter what number I put it on.

I know it is a cheap helmet, but is it safe for welding is my concern and question?

What is a decent helmet to buy that is "safe" to use. I don't mind spending a few bucks as you only get one set of eyes but I'm also a hobbyist and don't necessarily need "the best" on the market as I don't weld for a living.